With the holiday celebrations and over-indulging done, aren’t we all in need of a cleanse? Especially an alcohol cleanse. Now is the perfect time to start the new year by cutting out alcohol. Dry January is when people voluntarily refrain from alcohol for the whole month of January.
It’s a great opportunity to reset your relationship with alcohol. Dry January is a fast becoming a trend that allows time to restore the body, mind, and daily habits.
According to health experts, two or fewer drinks a day for men and one or fewer drinks a day for women is the recommended limit if you choose to drink. Any more and you may be increasing your risk of health-related issues. But during the holidays many people celebrate the yuletide and new year with too much alcohol consumption.
Need to reasons to give dry January a try? Be healthier: take a break from alcohol for a little while is a simple way to get healthier and detox. Take a break: take a break from the rich food and the large quantities of alcohol and give your digestive system a break. Be more aware: don’t drink indiscriminately. Be conscious of how much you drink and when you drink.
Health Benefits of Dry January
If you decide to hit the pause button on alcohol in the New Year, you’re not alone. Millions of people all over the world are taking part in Dry January - a healthy lifestyle with many health benefits:
- better sleep and focus
- energy and mood boost
- improved liver health
- weight loss and reduced bloating
- restart your digestion
- boost your hydration and immune system
- reduce inflammation and bloating
- lower blood pressure
Think Tea Not Alcohol
So what to drink, now that you’ve cut out alcohol? We recommend tea! You might wonder - how can tea be a healthy alternative to alcohol? A hot cuppa doesn’t seem anything like a cocktail or glass of wine. Tea contains compounds called catechins and theanine, which have a calming effect on the body and mind. Tea does not contain as many calories or potentially adverse effects on the body that alcohol does.
Tea has a natural complexity of flavor and with its calming effects, it makes great mocktails to take on Dry January with vigor. We’ve chosen a selection of our premium black and herbal teas to make your Dry January more enjoyable, grounding, and cleansing.
Mango Peach Ginger Ale:
Ingredients
6 oz ginger ale
4 oz Mango Peach Tea concentrate
Ceylon cinnamon sticks
Nutmeg
Method
Concentrate: Steep 1 tsp organic mango peach tea in 5 oz water at 180 F temp for 3-4 minutes. You may also add 1/2 tsp honey or agave, to sweeten. Strain and let cool.
Combine ginger ale with the concentrated Mango Peach Organic tea. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and fresh-grated nutmeg. ENJOY!
Golden Citrus Bliss:
Ingredients
6 oz fresh squeezed OJ
4 oz Turmeric Shot tea concentrate
8 oz sparkling water (chilled)
Orange slice, rock salt for rim (optional)
Ice
Method
Concentrate: Steep 1 tsp Turmeric Shot tea in 5 oz water at boiling temp for 6-8 minutes. You may also add 1/2 tsp honey or agave, to sweeten. Strain and let cool.
If you choose to have a salted rim: run an orange slice along the top rim of cocktail glasses and dip in salt. Combine cooled tea concentrate and orange juice with ice in a cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously. Strain into the rimmed 12-oz glasses. Top off with sparkling water and ice. ENJOY!
Tealicious Soda:
Soda often becomes a substitute for alcohol in Dry January. But soft drinks are unhealthy too. So, here’s something tasty, healthy and sparkly.
The easiest way to make a tea soda is to brew a very strong iced tea (we love Mango Tango Organic Tea and simply add sparkling water.
You can also create a tea simple syrup to add to sparkling water - just switch substitute tea for water in any classic simple syrup recipe.
